TO SUCCEED in the sheep dog trial arena, sheep dogs need to have certain attributes of excellence, something Allan Smith has had a keen eye for recognising for almost 70 years.

Taught by his father, himself one of Australia's top dog handlers, Mr Smith first competed as a teenager in Roma in 1953 and even now at 81 years of age, is still as hungry as ever for the competition.

Mr Smith grew up on a property at Barrackdale, south of Roma, and was surrounded by working dogs from an early age.

"Not all working dogs will make a top trial dog though," he said.

"You need that natural ability first and foremost but the dog needs to be gentle and soft moving.

Mr Smith said anticipation is a skill both a good dog handler and their dog must possess.

"You need to be able to direct the dog," he said.

"If you think the sheep are going to head in a certain direction, you can ask your dog to be in that position to stop them."

The sheep dog trial course is 9.1 metres long and consists of obstacles that a dog might experience in its normal working life.

Each competitor starts with 100 points, some of which are deducted by judges for errors from the dog and the worker.

The dog and handler must corral the three sheep through the course as quickly and cleanly as possible to achieve the highest score possible.

Mr Smith said he would look for certain signs that a dog might become a trial dog from about four to six months of age.

"You need to see that they're keen and that they love what they're doing," he said.

"Typically, they're more reliable in a trial situation from about two years of age.

"They need to listen and respond and as well as being flexible with your commands.

"Only certain dogs have what it takes to be great."

Many hours of practice for both dog and handler are essential to achieving success at sheep trials.

Replicating trial conditions, working with obstacles and different sheep to lay a strong foundation of trust and understanding between dog and handler.

Mr Smith said he keeps his commands to a minimum.

"To avoid confusing the dog," he said.

"I keep it very simple and with a tone of voice or whistle I can get them to do what I want.

"And I prefer not to train dogs too young; you've got to be careful not to put too much pressure on them too early.

"They could get over-excited and bite the sheep, which will get you an automatic disqualification."

In 1984 after his father's passing, Mr Smith took on four of his dad's top dogs.

In 1990, he represented Queensland for sheep dog trials and with dog Barrackdale Kep placed third in the Australian Supreme Championship.

This led to a spot on the Australian team, competing in a Test series against New Zealand that same year.

"They came to Tasmania and it was four dogs and handlers again four," Mr Smith said.

"We won the series and that was the pinnacle of my sheep trial career."

In the late 1990s, Mr Smith underwent a massive cancer operation, which he said knocked him back a bit.

"I continued to compete, but never with the same success," he said.

"More health concerns and leg troubles mean I don't do as many trials these days.

"One of my dogs, Ashgrove Reo, is of the Barrackdale Kep bloodline and I've won the Darling Downs and Western Downs championships with him in more recent times."

At home in Warwick, Mr Smith keeps a flock of sheep and works his dogs a few times a week to keep them up to scratch.

"I can just stand at the fence these days and they do all the work," he said.

"It's great to watch and I love working with them.

"There's always that strong bond between animal and owner and they like doing a good job and keeping me happy."

Next, Mr Smith has his eyes set on the Queensland Championships to be held in Clifton in September.